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Wholesome One-Bowl Banana Nut Bread: Easy and Perfect

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This wholesome one-bowl banana nut bread is the exact replica of a beloved café loaf, featuring a tender crumb and walnuts in every bite. It’s the perfect middle ground—wholesome enough for breakfast, indulgent enough for dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
  • ¾ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup walnut halves (for topping, optional)
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (for topping, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides for easy removal. Spray lightly with cooking spray if desired.
  2. In your large mixing bowl, mash the three ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth—a few small chunks are fine. You should have about 1½ cups of mashed banana.
  3. To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter (warm, not hot), coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until well combined and smooth.
  4. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the wet mixture, then add the flour. Stir gently until just combined—about 15 strokes. A few streaks of flour should still be visible. Do not overmix.
  5. Fold in the chopped walnuts with just a few more strokes. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
  6. Let the batter sit in the bowl for 10 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate, creating a more tender crumb.
  7. After the rest, give the batter one gentle stir and scrape it into the prepared loaf pan. Spread evenly. If using, arrange walnut halves on top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  8. Bake for 50-60 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, check the bread—if the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
  9. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer it directly to the cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing—about 1 hour.

Notes

Use heavily spotted, almost black bananas for best flavor and moisture. Do not overmix the batter. The 10-minute rest after mixing is crucial for a tender crumb. For high altitude (above 3,000 feet), reduce sugar by 1 tablespoon, increase flour by 1 tablespoon, and reduce baking soda to ¾ teaspoon. The bread tastes even better on day two.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana nut bread, banana bread, wholesome banana bread, one-bowl banana bread, easy banana bread, walnut banana bread

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/wholesome-one-bowl-banana-nut-bread-easy-and-perfect/